John 1:9-30
This was the true Light that, coming into the world, enlightens every person.He was in the world, and the world came into being through Him, and yet the world did not know Him.He came to His own, and His own people did not accept Him.But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name,who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of a man, but of God.And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us; and we saw His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.John* testified about Him and called out, saying,“ This was He of whom I said,‘ He who is coming after me has proved to be my superior, because He existed before me.’ ”For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace.For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ.No one has seen God at any time; God the only Son, who is in the arms of the Father, He has explained Him.This is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites to him from Jerusalem to ask him,“ Who are you?”And he confessed and did not deny; and this is what he confessed:“ I am not the Christ.”And so they asked him,“ What then? Are you Elijah?” And he* said,“ I am not.”“ Are you the Prophet?” And he answered,“ No.”Then they said to him,“ Who are you? Tell us, so that we may give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?”He said,“ I am the voice of one calling out in the wilderness,‘ Make the way of the Lord straight,’ as Isaiah the prophet said.”And the messengers had been sent from the Pharisees.They asked him, and said to him,“ Why then are you baptizing, if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?”John answered them, saying,“ I baptize in water, but among you stands One whom you do not know.It is He who comes after me, of whom I am not worthy even to untie the strap of His sandal.”These things took place in Bethany beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing people.The next day he* saw Jesus coming to him, and* said,“ Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!This is He in behalf of whom I said,‘ After me is coming a Man who has proved to be my superior, because He existed before me.’